Death Valley, Racetrack and Eureka Dunes

Description

Note: this moved from February due to snow in the passes.

Friday morning, we meet at our favorite Chevron station in Norco at 7am. Last gas is in Olancha. We exit pavement on the old Saline Valley Road (before the usual alternate SVR), and detour to the Santa Rosa mine (Mikkel and I were there this summer). Then we go down South Pass into Saline Valley, and up Lippincot Grade to Homestake Dry camp, where we will camp for one night. There is usually a porta potty stationed there, for those who like that sort of thing. This is just south of Racetrack Playa. If there's not enough daylight for a proper walkabout on the Playa, we can leave time to visit again in the morning.

Saturday, we will go back down Lippincot Grade into Saline Valley, and travel to Warm Springs. This is probably a good lunch location. Bring whatever you want to wear if you dip into the warm springs, which could be nothing. From there, we will go over Steele pass, and down Dedeckera Canyon. This is a bit of a squeeze down rock steps, where body damage could happen if you're not careful, but I've taken my Tacoma up and down without incident. About a mile before the Eureka Dunes dry campground, there's a big open flat area I hope to camp in. That puts a few minutes drive from some nice vault toiltets, but away from other visitors.

Sunday, we will drive north the Death Valley Road, turn left on Death Valley - Big Pine road, and make our way back to pavement through Deadman Canyon. This should be a well graded easy drive. There is an option trail to a mine that Bruce told me about, but I haven't found the road he's talking about on a map yet.

This trip is 183 miles between Olanch and Big Pine. Everyone should bring extra gas. My Tacoma goes a long way on a tank, but I will bring 2 5-gallon tanks, just in case, or to share. Bruce has a tank or two he can loan anyone that doesn't have gas tanks.